Alternating Gradient Synchrotron

Since 1960, the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS) has been one of
the world's premier particle accelerators, well known for the
three Nobel Prizes won
as a result of research performed there.

The AGS name is derived from the concept of
alternating
gradient focusing, in which the field gradients of the accelerator's 240
magnets are successively alternated inward and outward, permitting particles
to be focused in both the horizontal and vertical plane at the same time.
Capable of accelerating 70 trillion protons with every pulse, and heavy ions
such as gold and iron, the AGS receives protons and other ions from the AGS
Booster and delivers them to the Relativistic
Heavy Ion Collider after acceleration.

Operated
by Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Relativistic Heavy Ion
Collider is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of
Science, Office of Nuclear Physics.